Tools for Quantifying Yourself

The Withings scale converts an everyday device into a long-term tracker without any additional effort on the user’s part. You just step on the scale and your weight, body fat and body mass index (BMI) are automatically uploaded and graphically displayed on a smart phone or a personal profile on the Withings site.

“You can track evolution of health data, not just take a snap shot,” says founder Cedric Hutchings. “We found it helps you make micro-decisions, the opposite of a January 1 decision. If you are equipped with a sensor that keeps you aware of a trend, you can start to make choices, like I will walk home today or skip ice cream.”

The scale is now available in retail Apple stores in the U.S. for $159. The company recently launched a similarly networked blood pressure monitor in Europe, which will likely be a boon to physicians monitoring hypertensive patients. Withings is partnering with a rapidly growing number of software developers, so that users can automatically transfer their data to other apps—including the popular RunKeeper, DailyBurn and LosingIt.